Football training dummy



FOOTBALL TRAINING DUMMY Filed Feb. 1, 1952 INVENTOR w iNEY I Patented July 4, 1933 ?ATENT osrica JOE H. MADDOCK, OF IDAPIO FALLS, IDAHO FOOTBALL TRAINING DUMMY Application filed February 1, 1932. Serial No. 580,136.

' This invention refers to tackling and blocking dummies to be used in training for the gameof football, and more especially to such a dummy which will as nearly as possible simulate the reactions of a. fast, powerful and skillful football player when the dummy is blocked and tackled.

Blocking and tackling are perhaps the two most important fundamentals in the game of football. There are two methods of training players in. blocking and tackling. In the first the training is against other players. In the second a dummy of some sort is employed. Generally, the dummy is used for most of the preliminary training with the finishing touches given by action against other players. When a. dummy is used, there should be-practically no danger of injury to the player being trained. When another player is used, there: is danger of injury to both. In a long hard schedule of games, injuries are bound to occur in actual playing, and any additional weakening of the teams strength by injuries intraining must be avoided, as far as possible.

The tackling and blocking dummies which have been developed to date are all of them in the nature of a dead thing, which has little similarity to a live player. Some of them must be replaced after each tackling or blocking operation. This wastes the time of the entiresquad. Those that are automatically replaced or partially replaced are sometimes operated by weights and the inertia of these weights, when the dummy is hit hard, tends to cause injury or bruises to the. player. None of these dummies, as far as known, will stand substantially.unmoved when struck by a fast, powerful player, and none of these dummies, so far as known, will throw the player off if he hasnot properly blocked or tackled it.

' None of these dummies, so far as known, are so constructed that they can be lined up to simulate an opposing eleven which will offer serious opposition to a team running plays through them. I 7

None of these dummies, so far as known, by continued resistance, teach a player to hang on in tackling after the first impact,

blocked, and which will, do this to some extent even during the tackling or blocking operation.

A further object is to provide such a dummy which, since it retains its position, may be tackled or blocked by a lined up squad at the rate of 30 or 430 to the minute, without injury to the players, and thereby provide, in perhaps a Week, the tackling and blocking practice ordinarily obtained by a 7 squad in several weeks.

A further object is toprovidesuch a dummy which will by its construction and; operation, so nearly simulate the action of a fast, powerful and skillful player, that if the tackling or blocking is not properly done, the tackler or; blocker will be thrown to one side in, much the same manner as might be expected of a live player.

A further object is to provide such a dummy which, because of its safetyto the players, may be installed indoors and used during the winter months to perfect a squad dressed in gym suits,in the fundamentals of blocking and tackling.

'A further object is to provide such a dummy, eleven of which may be. installed indoors in the various defensive formations, used in a game of football, whereby a squad, dressed in gym suits, may be trained. during the winter months in running through plays 90 and making the necessary openings against actual opposition.

A further object is to provide such a dummy which, because of its safety, strength and speed of action-and difficulty in handling, will arouse the players interest and make a pleasing game out of what heretofore has been the worst drudgery of all football training. I

A further object is to provide such a dummy whose continued resistance will teach a player to hang on and not be thrown oil, after the first impact in either blocking or tackling.

I accomplish these objects by providing a dummy suspended from a stationary point,

All this is fully described below and is illustrated in the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view of my dummy. Fig. 2 is a front View of my dummy. Fig. 3 is a plan view, with upper rebound check means removed.

Fig. l is a detail showing a modified form of the resilient locating means. i Fig. 5 is a plan view, showing one formation in which eleven of my dummies may be placed for practice in blocking, opening up holes and running through plays.

Fig. .6 is a plan view of a modified form in which double resilient locating means are employed for both the holding and upper and lower rebound check means.

The suspension means, which may be a chain 1, a cable, a rope, an articulated rod or any other proper mechanical equivalent, is attached to an upper anchor 2 of any design or construction which may be held by a beam 3, a cable or rod 4., or in any other proper -manner maintained substantially stationary.

Resilient means may be incorporated in the suspension means and may be composed of the spring 2". of Fig. 4, or of any other proper resilient member, design or construction. If

desired, however, this spring suspension means may be eliminated completely, although its use may be approved if it is of the proper strength and action.

A ring 5 is attached to the lower end of the chain 1. Aresilient holding means is attached to the ring 5 and maybe composed of an inner tube from a tire such as shown at 6 in Fig. 1, a spring or springs such as shown at 7 in Fig. 1, or any other proper resilient means or construction. The holding means is also attached to the ring 8, which is held in the floor or ground by the member 9. Any other proper means or construction may be used to anchor the holding means to the ground or floor, so long as the result is permanent and satisfactory.

The lower resilient rebound. check means is attached to the ring 5 and may be composed of an inner tube 10 in 1, or spring or springs 11, in Fig. 1, or any other proper and satisfactory resilient meansf The lower resilient rebound check means is attached to the ring 5 which is attached by the cable or chain 12, or any proper mechanical equivalent, which in turn is attached to the ring 18 which is held'in the floor or ground by the member 14L Any other proper anchor design or construction for the cable or chain 12 may be employed so long as it is permanent and satisfactory. r

The upper rebound check resilient means as shownin Fig. 1 is composed of the inner tube 16 which is attached to the rings and 15, the ring 15 being attached by the chain 18 to the ring 18,the ring 13 being attached to the floor fixture 1 1. Any other resilient member may be used in place of the inner tube 16, such as the spring 17 shown in Fig. 4;, or any other proper and satisfactory mechanical equivalent may be used.

The gymnasium mat 19 is wrapped about the chain 1 and is held securely thereon by the straps 20, or in any other proper and satisfactory manner. The use of the mat 19 insures a dummy body in which the padding will never become misplaced or lumpy. The wrapping it about the chain 1 and strapping it in place positively insures its permanency upon the chain 1. However, any other satisfactory means, construction or design of dummy may be used and mounted upon the chain 1 so long as it will be permanent, satisfactory and in no way injurious to the players.

It will be observed in Fig. 5 that theupper rebound check means have been dispensed with, since there will be plenty of time for full recovery of dummies between p ays. Also, in order to have the floor more open and less obstructed the lower rebound means are all coupled up short like the holding means.

It will also be observed that a bag or coverin g 22 may be used to cover the mat l9 and may be provided with a painted likeness of football player. Or, if the covering 22 is not desired, then the outer surface of the mat 19 may be painted to resemble va football player. I

l/V hen preparing for any special opponent, the colors of said opponent may be employed in this painting, in order to make the training of more interest tothe players.

Whether or not the covering 22 is employed I provide a soft smooth rubber band 22' near the center to protect the face of the player. The width of the band 22 is made great enough to suit all the players from the shortest to the tallest.

The rings 5 and 15' are connected by the rebound check member 16 which may be made of a tire inner tube, or a spring or any other proper mechanical equivalent.

In actual use the mat 19 will generally slip down until it rests upon the ring 5 and the resilient means 6 and 10. In Fig. 1 a rod 1 with upper and lower locating flanges passes through the mat, but ordinarily I do not prefer this construction. The modified form shown in Fi 6 is composed of two restrength to the dummy.

silient locating means connected to the suspension means 1 and'to the floor by the fixtures9 and is also composed of two resilient rebound means 6 which are likewise connected to the suspension means 1 and to the floor by fixture 9. I

he modified form shown in Fig. 6 may no be required in ordinary circumstances, since the strength and tension and theproper adjustment of the resilient locating means will.

generally-provide the required resistance and action for any weight of player; The form shown in Fig. 6, however, may in some cases be advantageous when eleven dummies are used and plays run through them, since the greater lateral stability thus provided will make it more difiicult for the training team to open up the desired holes. The angle of spread of the two holding resilient means and of the two upper and two lower rebound check means may be varied, as well as their strength and tension to provide the desired amount of lateral stability. And, in case any one player requires exceptional training, the-dummy or dummies which he is supposed to block in running through any play may be set to give him the desired practice and training in order to overcome any weakness he may have along certain lines.

It will now be seen that because of the instant readjustment of my dummies, each tackling or blocking operation, a squad may be lined up and one. player after another may hit the dummy in such rapid. succession that as many as 40 men may hit the dummy per minute. If desired, several mats, indicated at 21, may be used when the dummy is employed indoors to further protect the players from injury when. they are practicing in gymnasium suits.

It will further be seen that because of the lack of weight or weights in the apparatus the inertia has been reduced to a practical minimum, so that substantially all the player is striking against is the resilient holding means. T his greatly assists in decreasing the chance of injury.

' It will further beseen that because of the strength and tension of the holding resilient means the player in blocking must strike the dummy squarely or he wi 1 be bounced off to one side or the other, in much the same manner as if he improperly blocked a live player; that is, he will be taught by this dummy to block properly, so that a live player would have the greatest possible dihiculty in throwing him to one side or theother.

It will also be seen, that because of the strength and tension of the holding means, the player will be thrown to one side or the other after the first impact in tackling, if he does not continue to cling with all his his will train the player in tackling to hang on tight during and after the first impact.

It will further be seen that the upper and lower rebound check resilient means, by their strength and tension, coupled with the light weight of the dummy, snub its rebound action so that it is again stationary almost at once, after it is released by a player and is then ready to receive another player.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Let-. ters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a football training dummy, a padded body, suspension means suspended from above and passing down through the body, resilient holding means attached to the lower end of the suspension means and anchored in the floor or ground under tension, and resilient means in addition to said holding means attached to the lower end of said suspension means and anchored to the floor or ground under tension for opposing thetension of said holding means.

2. In a football training dummy, a padded body, means suspending the padded body from above, means connected between said body and the floor and anchored in the floor or ground resiliently resisting movement of the body in one direction and means connected between the body and the floor and anchored in the floor or ground resiliently resisting movement of the body in another direction.

3. In a football training dummy, a padded body having a' normal position, means suspending the padded body from above, and means connected between said body and the floor and normally at an acute angle with the floor and anchored in the floor or ground resiliently resisting movement of said body from said normal position.

4. In a football training dummy, a padded body having a normal position, means supporting the padded body from above, and means connected between said body and the floor and attached to the floor or ground at a plurality of points resiliently resisting movement of said body from its normal position.

5. In a football training dummy, a-padded body, suspension means therefor suspended from above from a stationary point and pass ing downward through the body, and loeating means connected to said suspension means and anchored to the door or ground and normally at an acute angle the "ewith to resiliently position said body.

6. In a football training dummy, a padded body, suspension means therefor suspended from above from a stationary point supporting said body, and means connected to the body and to the floor or ground at a plurality of points and normally at an acute angle with the floor or ground.

7. In a football training dummy, a padded body, suspension means supported from above and suspending the body, locating means connected to and locating the lower end of the body and composed of resilient holding means below the body and anchored to the floor or ground and resilient rebound check means below the body and anchored to the floor or ground and opposing said holding means.

8. In a football'dummy, a padded body, means supporting the padded body from above and resilient means connected to and locating the padded body from below and composed of a plurality of resilient means opposed to each other above the level of the ground or floor and anchored to the ground or floor to resiliently oppose movement of the body in at least two directions.

9. In a football training dummy, a padded body, suspension means supporting the said body from above, locating means above the level of the ground or floor locating the said body from below and composed of opposed resilient means connected'to the body and anchored to the floor or ground and resilient rebound check means attached adjacent the upper part of said body and anchored to the ground or floor in substantially the same vertical plane with said opposed resilient locating means.

10. In a football training dummy, a suspension chain adapted to besuspended from a stationary point above, and a resilient holding member attached to the lower end of the chain and anchored to the ground. or floor and a lower rebound check means attached to the lower end of the chain and anchored to the grounder floor in opposition to said holding member, and a mat wrapped about the lower portion of the chain and secured thereon, and an upper rebound check means attached to the chain above the said mat and means securing the upper rebound check means to the iioor or ground in. substantially the same vertical plane with the lower rebound check means.

11. In a football training dummy, suspension means including resilient suspension ieans suspended from above, locating means comp sod of resilient holding and opposed resilient rebound check means attached to the suspended means and anchored to the ground or floor and putting tension upon the padded body painted in the team colors to resemble a football player, means suspending the body from above from a stationary V pointand a plurality of resilient means opposed to each other and connected to the body and anchored to the floor or ground for resiliently locating the lower end of said body.

13. In a football training dummy, a padded body, a covering for said body painted to resemble a football player in the colors of his team, means suspending the padded body from above and resilient means at an acute angle with the floor or ground connected to the body and anchored in the floor or ground at a plurality of points for resili ently locating the lower end of said body.

14. In a football training dummy, suspension means including resilient suspension means suspended from above from a stationary point, locating means composed of resilient holding and opposed resilient rebound check means attached to the suspension means and anchored to the ground or floor and putting tension upon the suspension means, a padded body secured to a lower portion of the suspension means and a second resilient rebound check means attached to the suspension means above said body and anchored to the floor in substantially the same vertical plane with said first resilientrebound check means.

15. In a football training dummy, 7 a padded body, means supporting the padded body from above from a stationary point, resilient locating means below the body and above the floor or ground level and anchored to the floor or ground at a plurality of points normally not directly under said stationary point and opposing movement of the body in at least two directions, and resilient rebound check means connected to the supporting means adjacent the upper end of the body and to the floor or ground.

16. In football training equipment, a plurality of dummies positioned to simulate members of a football team on the defensive, said dummies being suspended from above, each from a stationary point, and each being located below by connected resilient means anchored to the floor or ground at plurality of points to resiliently oppose movement of each of said dummies from the normal position whereby the relative positions of the various dummies will be resiliently maintained, and re-locating afterrunning through each play will be unnecessary.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOE H. MADDOCKQ 

